"What hunting desperately needs," one of us opined, "is a national
grass-roots sportsman's group comprising outdoorsmen and women who are
sufficiently enlightened to put ecological integrity above all else,
including our own self-interests."

Indeed, what we were daydreaming about was a nonprofit organization
built firmly upon Aldo Leopold's "land ethic." By "land," Leopold meant
what we know today as the ecology -- including wildlife, fish
and their habitats. "A thing is right," Leopold's land ethic proposed,
"when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the
biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise."

You may not realize how revolutionary a statement that is. There are other good conservation groups that put ecological integrity first yet are still comfortable with hunting or fishing—I think Trout Unlimited and Ducks Unlimited rank highly. TU in particular works to protect aquatic ecosystems that just happen to have Salmonids in them, which means most higher-elevation Colorado waters.

BHA's focus is protecting "backcountry" (not just designated draw-a-line-around-it wilderness areas) from disruptive motorized travel and anything else that negatively affects what lives there. And yes, these just happen to be good places to hunt and fish in traditional ways.

Dave continues,

And that's the briefest possible overview of how BHA came to be and who
we are. Now let's fast-forward to March 21-23 -- next week! -- and the
Red Lion Hotel Denver Southeast, where a now mature BHA with members in
every state and several foreign countries, and 17 active chapters in the
U.S. and Canada, is holding its third annual rendezvous and 10th
birthday celebration. . . .

If you can't afford to spend the entire weekend with BHA members from all
over America, you're most welcome to drop by on Friday evening, March
21, for kick-off events including a reception, vendor booths and
displays, opening remarks by BHA Executive Director Land Tawney, dinner,
and a get-acquainted "backcountry bash" featuring live bluegrass music.